So Red is N-13.
That was about the only firm reveal on The Blacklist Season 8 Episode 20.
Beyond that, almost everything else was still up in the air.
Mostly, Liz, Red, and the always reliable Dembe spent the episode attempting to escape from Townsend.
As usual, Liz didn’t do herself any favors.
But then, that description would cover almost any episode of The Blacklist this season.
At least any episode since Red killed Katarina (I’m starting to wonder if that actually happened).
Liz would do something to cause Raymond pain. He would treat her like a pouty child and forgive her transgressions.
Rather than give her the answers she sought, he withheld information because it was for her own good.
Reddington spent the whole season putting out fires Liz started while she decided siccing a psychotic crimelord on him was the right way to go.
That would have felt less repetitive on a Covid-shorted season of, 16-18 episodes. But instead, we’ve gotten a full-length season that’s still going, with one or two secrets dribbling out each episode.
Now, NBC has shifted the last two episodes to Wednesdays starting June 16.
I guess the Olympic trials are more important to highlight. If a Blacklist fan forgets and misses those episodes, there’s always Hulu or Peacock.
Why did Liz ever think that she could manipulate Townsend? It made so much more sense to stick with the crimelord she knew, the one that has protected her for most of her life.
But no. She had to seek revenge for the mother she barely knew instead.
Boy, is she going to feel like an ass when Reddington gets done explaining things in the final two episodes. I hope he finishes this season. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?
But now she has blown up her FBI career and the Task Force. What was the point of all that?
It was amusing for a couple of episodes to watch Liz outsmart Raymond at his own game.
But that got tiring quickly so few complained when Liz disappeared for several weeks. When you can get by for episodes without one of your leads onscreen, that should tell you something isn’t working.
When The Blacklist Season 8 Episode 19 ended with Red, Liz, and Dembe trapped by Townsend’s men inside Bino’s chess club, the trio really appeared to be in danger.
For about two minutes, until Liz found the inevitable secret passageway. Then, rather than celebrate the victory, she had to be petulant and send a cop after Raymond.
No, rather than allow Reddington and his many resources to take care of her, Liz decided that turning herself in was the way to go.
After all, how could anyone outside the Task Force know where she was being held? Unless, of course, Harold told them.
The way that place leaks, Townsend would have found out in short order anyway. And it was funny to see her cell flying away underneath a chopper.
The real wild card this episode was Godwin. It was little wonder that both Red and the Task Force wanted to get their hands on Townsend’s lieutenant since he would know best how to locate Townsend.
It was great to see Teddy again and to find out that his wife was an even more talented torturer than he was. It was too short a visit with them.
Liz once again made the wrong choice. Rather than forgiving Raymond and moving on, she chose to utilize Godwin to negotiate a deal with Townsend, trading Red’s life for hers.
Which he did, although it didn’t do Townsend much good, as Red had everyone on a plane before he could be trapped.
Godwin flipped anyway after getting caught, making a deal that would have saved Reddington if only he would have picked up the phone.
Liz just couldn’t stop abusing the goodwill of her former teammates.
She soft-peddled her recent actions to Aram. She used her one phone call to reach out to Ressler, who was battling to stay alive. How can an agent missing part of a lung ever go back out in the field?
Although he should have known better, Harold attempted to get a special deal for Liz, although Panabaker wasn’t buying what he was selling.
Now Liz’s actions could well lead to the end of the Task Force, sheerly because of the optics of her recent activities. They weren’t public but were well known within DoJ.
Red finally threw up his hands in the air and decided to give Liz the answers she sought. Yes, he was N-13.
And he actually got further than I thought he would. The Sikorsky Archives was part of a massive program to keep Liz safe?
The big question still to be answered is why? Why was the daughter of a Russian spy so important to so many other spies?
Naturally, the big reveal showed absolutely nothing. What did he mean about this nondescript warehouse in Latvia being The Blacklist? I guess we’ll have to wait 12 days to find out. Program your DVR so you won’t forget.
To follow Liz’s many missteps, watch The Blacklist online.
Will having Godwin in custody help the Task Force capture Townsend?
Whatever was Red talking about?
Will Ressler survive his latest injuries?
Comment below.
Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.